Category From the Editor

Innovator Award 2023 Regalia Jewelry

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Regalia’s Innovative Award winning design “Pin Crimp.”

At this year’s APP Conference, Regalia won the Innovator’s Award for their “Pin Crimp” design. We were fortunate enough to have a chat with the owner of Regalia, Derrick Edward R. and asked him about his latest invention and his beginnings in the industry.

The Point: Congratulations on your win in the Innovators Award. You also won the Best Single Booth award at the APP Conference this year. You all must be very excited!

Regalia: Thank you! It was a bit of a surprise when I got a text message saying we won both awards (we didn’t attend the closing party). To be honest, I think we should have won the best booth award last year; Some people might remember the reliquary that the Regalia crew spent weeks working on with “Sadima” the mummy empress. It was a bit of an upset, so this year, we’d intentionally planned a much simpler approach and wanted to focus on sales and operation. We all kind of joked to ourselves because we thought we were thrown a bone this year because whoever felt bad we didn’t win last year. In any case, it feels good to have hard work acknowledged.

The Point: What inspired you to create this concept and how does it set itself apart from similar concepts?

Regalia: We’d always had the thought of, “Ya know it’d be really cool if there was a specific tool that bent our threadless pins in a way that didn’t sacrifice the integrity of the pin itself so there would be less breakage” Then that turned into… “Imagine if we could get customers to be able to change their jewelry out on their own so they can focus on building their jewelry wardrobe without having to wait in line at their local piercing studio just to get something changed out.”

When the pandemic happened, it became, “All these people with threadless jewelry sitting at home that can’t go into their local piercings studios.” During normal times, we can definitely appreciate the human to human interaction and experience of going into a piercing studio to ogle and jewelry, purchase, and have it put in… But we also have found value in turning the ‘necessity’ of piercer assistance vs. ‘convenience’ of piercer assistance when it comes to having jewelry changed out. While we always recommend clients visit their piercers to make sure their piercings have healed correctly and are healthy, there’s something to be said about giving the power and confidence to the client to work with their own accessories. It also helps facilitate the move toward eCommerce as studios become more open to selling threadless jewelry in their online stores.

The design itself is meant to provide a consistent and desired result. We understood that the pliers could be used by an extremely WIDE range of people, whether piercers or “end-wearers” as we like to call them. The brilliance of our first prototype was that no matter how hard you squeezed the pliers, they would bend the pin in same exact way, the same exact amount. There’s only one other pair of pliers that are currently sold as dedicated threadless pin pliers, but we haven’t seen too much success in our industry with the use of them. Ultimately our goal is to make them so easy to use, that they become a no-brainer in needing to have them if preserving threadless jewelry is important! Many people have used other pliers in non-intended ways to bend pins with success, but we want people not to have to figure anything out. We’ll do that for you. ;D

The Point: We think this design is really neat! Is this tool a one-off creation or do you have plans to create more tools in the future?

Regalia: That’s a really good question. I suppose it depends on the success of this tool. I imagine that there will different versions of the final product of our Pin Crimp. Anyone else have any ideas?

The Point: Regalia has been around for some time and is widely known as a body jewelry company. Tell us more about yourself and the history of your company.

Regalia: Haa! I actually started out as a replacement counter-hire. This was in 2014 and at the time I was working in management at a large cosmetics company. No experience in jewelry whatsoever, other than wearing it, of course. One of my regular customers was Lysa Taylor, who at the time was the main piercer at Industrial Tattoo & Piercing in Berkeley. At this point, I’d already gone up and down and plateaued in the company I was with, so one day when Lysa came in to stock up on some facial moisturizer, I said, “Hey, you guy hiring over there?”… I suppose the timing of everything worked out. I am and have always believed that things happen for a reason. To make a long story short… I went from the top of the totem pole at this corporate company to scrubbing toilets, taking out the garbage, and cleaning up after bums outside of this piercing studio off of Dwight and Telegraph in Berkeley. Albeit, one that I’d frequented for years. I’d learned a lot about the industry in those first couple of years. Safe practices, jewelry types, sizes, materials. It was a HUGE growing point for everyone and everything and the studio and the industry in general. Social media wasn’t even a thing, yet. Nobody was taking good photos of jewelry and regularly posting to platforms like Instagram. Shortly after starting, I took over their social media and started experimenting with composition of how to post jewelry to look good and fun. I became fascinated with how light bounced off certain facets and textures of some of the designs. Having a knack for picking up and learning computer software, it wasn’t long before I’d downloaded CAD freeware to begin playing with 3D shapes and realizing my own designs.

One of the biggest bottle necks in A to Z shop operation was the amount of time it took to get jewelry from our manufacturers. We were selling jewelry faster than we could get it in our displays. I told Todd, co-owner of Industrial Tattoo & Piercing, “Dude, why don’t we just MAKE OUR OWN JEWELRY”… So we did. And literally, not knowing anything about production or manufacturing, we knew what we needed for our clients, we knew we wanted to work with gold, and we knew we had the energy to figure out the rest. I incorporated in 2015, and it’s been a huge creative endeavor since then. And definitely the most challenging experience of my life. I’ve worked alongside very talented and industrious people in this industry and have done my best to absorb as much as I possibly can. When people say they put their blood, sweat, and tears into something… I quite literally know exactly what that means. I tell people all the time that the main reason why I started Regalia was because I just wanted to make things… What people don’t see or understand is just how difficult it is to start, run, and maintain a gold body jewelry company that doesn’t outsource production to other countries, in the state of California. Proud to say we’re about 99.9% in-house production at the cost of sleepless nights and sound mind. I’ve gotta say, it does make it worth it when people see, appreciate, and share those values with others and go on to wear our designs.

Pin Crimp tool by Regalia Jewelry.

The Point: Regalia has some very interesting and unique pieces. How do you stay ahead of the game when there are so many similar types of companies?

Regalia: I’ve heard we’ve got a distinct ‘look’ from some of our clients. This is a fun compliment for us, for sure. In my mind, staying “ahead” of the game is a little bit of a trap. It’s a type of hamster wheel that we’ve got one foot on and one foot off. Something that I think Regalia has started to achieve, kind of accidentally, is creating a type of new-classic? If I could say that as cliche as it sounds. When I design something, part of me is concerned that it’ll look cheap or that it may in the future “look like its trying too hard”. Timelessness, in my opinion, is hugely important and probably comes from my own rebellion against a system that feeds off of “Oooh whats the next new thing?”, but how do you create something or a brand that isn’t typecast into someone else’s trash box? I actually think about this a lot and realize I’m overthinking it, I shake it off, and just keep moving forward. What you see in our production line is the result of that thought process. Another thing that I consider is what something will look like at different distances and how different textures break up and distribute light. Many designs don’t translate that well depending on where the observer is observing from. Many don’t know realize this, but the designs we have for sale are literally JUST A FRACTION of the designs that most of which haven’t made it to our production line. I have folders and folders and folders of literally hundreds of design files that are unfinished, or have been finished, but that never made it to cast. 

And while yes, there are a lot of smaller gold body jewelry companies popping up every single year, a part of me naturally experiences concern, but then I remember how we started, our principles, how we make things, where we make them, and why we make them comprises the unique fingerprint that is Regalia. Design-led jewelry purchasing is a big hook, but people need to know that they aren’t just buying something that shines a specific way. They’re buying a brand, they’re buying our crew, and they’re buying our values. When I talk about Regalia I notice that I get very passionate about these things as I believe it’s up to us as manufacturers to enrich our industry and educate our clients and their clients to retain the values of what they adorn themselves with. And while it’s very possible to get washed up in these fickle trends, I’ve never wanted for Regalia to outgrow our principles; This has proven to be one of our biggest challenges, but one that is at the core of who we are. These other companies will experience their own hardships like we have and still do and if they’re still around after all is said and done, and they’ve added value to the industry instead of just profited off of it, what more can be said than, “Welcome to the players circle”. I still feel like we’re outsiders achieving our stripes. Not sure if or when that feeling will ever go away, but whenever I see a beautiful photo taken of someone wearing our jewelry in a different part of the world, those stripes feel tiny.

The Point: Where does your inspiration come from when creating your designs? Is there someone or something that inspires you?

Regalia: My inspirations come from really everywhere… pictures, paintings, architecture, the occasional *cough* video game, nature, and of course suggestions from the Regalia crew and colleagues in or out of the industry… there have even been times that the NAME of the design inspired and came before the finished piece. Imagine that. Philosophy is also a huge inspiration to me. There have been moments where the meaning of words have inspired the look of certain designs. There’s literally no shortage of inspiration or creative energy that can be found in this industry, so a bigger challenge is finding the time to dedicate to bring things to fruition. As far as WHO inspires me? The industrious inspires me. There isn’t even one specific person, but more so the TYPE of person that inspires me is the ‘doer’. Anyone can have the next brilliant idea. Those are all a dime a dozen. The type of person that inspires me is the person that can execute their idea and see it through to its completion with intentional focus and vigor. Focus and dedication are two qualities that I consistently find in the people that I’m inspired by. These kinds of people are rare. I’m sure if you’re reading this, you can think of someone in your life that is like this. Keep them close, learn from them, and if you want to help those around you, BE THAT PERSON.

The Point: Do you have any fresh ideas that we might see around the innovators booth at next year’s APP conference?

Regalia: Currently, I’m focused on getting our Pin Crimp re-designed and manufactured. That said, we might try for the creative innovator’s award if that’s being run again. We’ve got some designs up our sleeves.

The Point: Do you have any other plans for the future? What can we expect to see from Regalia next?

Regalia: We do have plans of more limited drops and one-off designs. So keep an eye open for those!

Find Regalia Jewelry on the web!
Website: https://regalia.jewelry/
Instagram: @regalia.jewelry

Point 89: From the Editor

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Marina Pecorino, Managing Editor– The Point

The Point started in 1994 as a black and white paper mailer with a rotating cast of producers. The very first iteration1 stated in its introduction that “we intend [for this publication] to serve as a forum for information; all contributions are welcome.” In Issue 22, The Point producers stated that the publication was intended to “make piercing a safe, positive, evolving craft” and cautioned submitting authors to “expect to be variously disagreed with, challenged, or supported by other subscribers. That’s exactly The Point.”

This will be my final issue as a Managing Editor of The Point: Journal of Body Piercing, and the last consolidated issue to be published in a “printable” magazine format. Over the last five years I’ve helped to produce and publish 20 issues containing various tidbits of industry history; I’m sincerely proud of this professional and personal accomplishment. This unexpected opportunity allowed me to know colleagues and our organization in ways I wouldn’t have otherwise experienced. I feel closer and more connected to the piercing community, thanks to the knowledge I have gained as an Editor for this amazing publication. I am eternally grateful to have had this chance, and to have worked so closely with Kendra Jane B. and Jim Ward during my time with this project.

Moving forward, the publication will be exclusively available at thepointjournal.org in a blog style. We continue to encourage and welcome submissions of body modification and piercing related writing and high resolution images to editor@safepiercing.org. Since inception, this publication seeks to provide a reliable and progressive source of industry information, and a public platform for the diverse set of voices in our field.

The overall theme of this issue was originally planned around the interconnection between LGBTQIA+ and body mod culture; I had untold enthusiasm and personal connection to this theme. Unfortunately, due to a lack of author submissions from our community on the topic, and my own mental hurdles about ending this project (I’m not a fan of endings), the publication date was pushed far beyond our normal quarterly schedule.

Ultimately, I made the difficult decision to refocus the enclosed content around the current state of our industries and communities. Alongside many others, recently my attention and energy have been redirected; concentrating on how we can work together to create a community and support others in these uncertain and ever-evolving circumstances. I am proud of the work that my colleagues and organization have accomplished in the face of this crisis; more information about these labors of love can be found on subsequent pages of this issue.

Unfortunately, like many others, I have very different feelings toward the collaboration, guidance, and assistance offered by my state and national governing bodies. This issue offers a selection of perspectives from different industry professionals on the current COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this difficult experience, I have been feeling much like Leah Sarah Kent describes later in this issue; “defeated, sad, and ultimately helpless” about the “systemic oppression and inequalities this virus so clearly exposes” and the lack of “major collective action as a people to rise up and fight for a new society.”

Personally, I am ready for a social and structural revolution, with the safety, security, and well being of the nation and world as the cornerstone. Until then, I’ll continue doing what I can to use my platforms to share diverse perspectives, reliable information, and available resources with my local and global communities. I hope that you will do the same. As Caitlin McDiarmid has said: “Stay Positive. Stay Generous. Stay Safe.”

1 “The Point—official newsletter of the APP,” File Archive, Association of Professional Piercers, accessed May 20, 2020,

https://www.safepiercing.org/docs/point01.pdf.

2 “The Point—official newsletter of the APP: Volume 1, Issue 2,” File Archive, Association of Professional Piercers, published January 1995,

https://www.safepiercing.org/docs/point02.pdf.

Point 88: From the Editor

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by Marina Pecorino, The Point Editor

Conference this year featured several sessions on the topic of representation and accessibility. I attended a fantastic discussion from Vanessa Delgado of Eastern Washington University on the topic of Cultural Competence and Inclusion, where the distinction between equality and equity was discussed. I was also allowed to share space with some of my POC colleagues during the POC: The Power of Color and Representation roundtable. I came home more aware than ever of the importance in using our individual platforms to help elevate those around us. Since returning from Conference, I have had more industry professionals than usual reaching out with an interest in volunteering or submitting articles. I love this!

Bring it on.

APP membership is not a requirement for submissions to this publication, although we do encourage Members to submit. We welcome writing, images, and video submissions to editor@safepiercing.org.

Is industry related writing, photography, drawing, and/or videography not your forte, but you’d like to help the organization and industry flourish? Or are you frustrated with an aspect of the organization that you’d like to see change? Maybe you just have an incredibly keen eye for details, fantastic organizational skills, or are particularly tech savvy. If so, I strongly encourage you to email volunteer@safepiercing.org. Julie Taylor has a survey to help identify your areas of skill and interest, enabling the organization to pair you with an appropriate APP Committee or project. There are dozens of people working behind the scenes for the Association of Professional Piercers all the time, sometimes from across the globe. Join us and our companion organizations like, LBP1, UKAPP2, RuAPP3, APPE4, and the brand new AUPP5. You can read about some of their international conferences and contributions later in this issue.

Representation is imperative in all its forms to ensure the diversity and well being of our community. Get involved. Be seen and heard. Add your perspective to our shared history.

1https://www.lbpiercing.com/

2https://www.ukapp.org.uk/

3http://ruapp.pro/

4https://www.appepiercing.org/

5http://safepiercing.org.au/

Point 87: From the Editor

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by Marina Pecorino, The Point Editor

Vivi Madero & Lally Bagdon

Well, this is my first issue as a solo Managing Editor. Thankfully, I work with a wonderful Art Director, Jim Ward, and together we have created another stunning issue brimming with pre-Conference content. If you  have  expertise  in grammar,  syntax, and the written word, and spare time on your hands, we may have a place for you on The Point Committee.

Deeper within this issue, you’ll find some important updates regarding the 2019 APP Conference & Exposition. Not only have we moved to a fresh, modern venue inside Planet Hollywood, we’ve also updated some of our Conference procedures and events.

This year, your odds of taking home a grand prize from Vegas have gotten even better; check out a quick summary and the official rules for the new Golden Ticket Raffle and Silent Auction.

We’ve also refreshed the process of certificates. Conference attendees can now receive Recognition of Attendance onsite, and travel home with tangible proof of their amazing week in the desert. Transcripts with course titles (similar to what a college graduate would receive) will be digitally available shortly after the event as further proof of an attendee’s dedication to continuing education.

The 2019 Body Piercing Archive is devoted to the extraordinary Fakir Musafar. Visit this unique exhibit with art and Body Play artifacts never before publicly displayed. Don’t forget to schedule time to view the exhibit with the guidance of a docent or four; visiting this rare presentation is one thing, but attending a guided tour lead by a personal acquaintance with firsthand accounts is another thing entirely.

This year, our Banquet has also been reinvigorated. Come join us at the Gallery Nightclub in your best Moulin Rouge themed attire for our Closing Party. Make sure to wear your dancing shoes and bring your appetite for socializing.

Details about these new programs and events are available on the Conference website and in the subsequent pages of this issue. This is an exciting year and I can’t wait to see you all. Let’s get to work!

Point 86: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino

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In April, the Association of Professional Piercers will be 25 years old. As a community, we’ve come a long way; from bedrooms, basements, and dungeons to a reputable international industry with professional organizations, standards, best practices, and training opportunities. With that change, we’ve also experienced a drastic shift in the public’s perception of our trade.

With public attention comes public scrutiny. As both an industry and individual practitioners, we have a decision to step up our game and work toward professional growth and advancement, or rebel in an attempt to hang on to our subculture status. It is my feeling that we should not settle for mediocrity and succumb to doing things the way they’ve always been done, just because change is challenging and intimidating. Learn new skills. Educate yourself and your staff. Make professional and personal development a priority. Aim for continual improvement.

Along those lines, the APP has made some updates to what was previously called our Health and Safety Agreement. This document has now been expanded to address the diversity and inclusivity of our industry, and has been retitled as the APP Member’s Code of Conduct.

Read about these changes and inspiring words on this topic from APP President, Jef Saunders, later in this issue. Staying grounded is a key component of professional and personal development. Logical and level-headed decisions are difficult to make when egos are unrealistically inflated or emotions are heated. Jacob Spjut explains the difference between an industry’s knowledgeable elites and the attitude of elitism. Knowing who in our community has a wealth of expertise on a particular topic is an important step to forever learning. On the same token, Chris Beierschmitt’s article provides information on finding reliable, credible, and trustworthy information from sources outside of our industry, including peer-reviewed research. We are human and not expected to know everything. As any good teacher will tell you, it is not about rote memorization, but about knowing where to look to find what you need. As the APP’s Membership Administrator, I am experiencing first hand the rapid and immense growth the organization and industry are undergoing. Personally, I am looking forward to seeing what new directions our leadership and industry elites will lead us in next. But it is important to remember that each individual plays an integral role as well. As Kendra Jane expresses, it is time to step up and be the change you want to see.

Point 86: From the Editors – Kendra Jane B.

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“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.”

—Noam Chomsky

Kendra Jane B. & Marina Pecorino, 2017 APP Conference

I am a glass half full, the sun will come out tomorrow kind of person; a believer that everyone deserves a second chance and that humans are innately good beings. I’m an eternal optimist if you will.

When I started piercing almost a decade ago it was amazing; piercing became an overnight passion I didn’t know I had. I wanted to learn everything I could about every aspect of our industry. I dove in head first. I have had the privilege of being chosen as an Al D. Scholar, and have now become a longtime conference volunteer. I have been a contributing writer and an Editor for The Point for several years. The culmination of all this hard work and diligence has been the opportunity to serve as this organization’s Vice President.  Looking back, it honestly seems so surreal. I have met soulmates, best friends, and my chosen family. Being a part of this industry has allowed me to be the change I wanted to see. I wanted to make a difference and this industry gave me the chance to do that.

Kendra Jane B. 2016 APP Conference

Although I may be a glass half full kinda of girl, I would be lying if I led you to believe that my time in the piercing industry has been all sunshine and lollipops. It is very easy to let piercing throw off a work life balance, as it seems piercers like to eat, breathe, and sleep piercing. In my case it allowed me to indulge in my first choice for self harmful behaviour, being a workaholic. I used my career as an excuse to miss family gatherings, maintain toxic relationships, and to define myself as a person through my career alone. This sadly means that I, like so many piercers I know, have spent the past few years teetering ever so cautiously on the precipice of complete burnout.

Badur Ramji & Kendra Jane B., 2016 APP Conference
Photo by Autumn Swisher

After almost a decade in this industry it was a strange reality for me to have worked so hard for so long to get exactly where I wanted to be, only to realize that place was not at all like I had envisioned it. I am so very proud to say that I feel I have made real changes within the piercing industry, but I am now realizing the changes I’ve  made  in myself during my involvement in the industry are the real prize. I have said it before and I will say it again, this industry has taught me self worth, the ability to set boundaries, and to stand up for what I believe in. The piercing industry has also shown me that it is ok to step aside when you are no longer the best person for the task at hand, and the time has come for me to step aside and let the next shepherds of our industry take the lead.

Kendra Jane B. & Caitlin McDiarmid, 2018 APP Conference
Photo by Shanna Hutchins

I believe that this industry and this publication deserve a new voice, the voice of the next generation of piercers. The time has come for me to say goodbye to The Point and my  role as Managing Editor. I would like to thank James Weber, Elayne Angel, Kim Zapata, Jim Ward, Caitlin McDiarmid and Marina Pecorino; whether they know it or not, each of them played an integral part in my editorial journey with this publication.

Kendra’s desk

Point 85: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino

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As a teenager I became a piercing enthusiast after a persistent friend convinced me to get pierced with them; soon, I began frequenting my local shop at every opportunity. During my original career as a school teacher, my first stop at the end of each school year was the studio to eagerly get some of my visible piercings back. Then I realized the classroom wasn’t the best fit for me, and as my final school year ended and my existential crisis began, I once again stopped by the studio to get pierced—my favorite form of self-soothing—only to learn that the main piercer was moving and they were looking to hire an apprentice. Now, I have been an industry professional for more than ten years.

In the beginning, I knew very little about most forms of body modification, but was eager to learn. I apprenticed under Bink Williams—a Member of the Association of Professional Piercers since 1996 and close friends with some of the founding Members—so I was fortunate to have an expansive library to peruse and an immediate link to the APP. Among other works, the shop library included A Brief History of the Evolution of Body Adornment in Western Culture: Ancient Origins and Today, ReSearch: Modern Primitives, and The Piercing Bible. We also had three ring binders containing well- loved back issues of PFIQ: Piercing Fans International Quarterly and The Point. During slow times at the shop (of which there were plenty back then) I would read through the library and poke around on BMEzine. We reference some of this influential literature later in this issue, and would encourage you to seek copies for your own edification.

Despite my fortunate start in the industry, until I started attending Conference in 2012 I remained isolated without much contact with other industry professionals outside of my own studio. Now that my main job is as Membership Administrator for the APP, I interact almost constantly with Members, piercers, enthusiasts, and the general public. The last few years have signified a pretty immense shift in my professional life, so I welcome this opportunity to look back at where I came from and where our modern industry started. We hope you enjoy this issue, taking a stroll with us through body modification and piercing history.

Bink Williams and Elayne Angel c. 1995.
 

Point 85: From the Editors – Kendra Jane B.

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“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once, but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.”

~ Michelle Obama

I have a personal belief that the piercing industry and community is in a very unique and wonderful position regarding our history. Since piercing as a modern phenomenon began less than a century ago, we have the ability to learn firsthand from the forefathers and mothers that made what we do possible. We can talk to them in person about the failures and successes they have seen to date, and use this to better ourselves and our craft. At the same time, our industry is young enough that each and every one of us has the opportunity and chance to make the same type of impact on our industry going forward. We may mourn the loss of those that have taught us and paved the way, but as they leave vacancies we will need leaders, shaman, healers, and teachers to step up to lead the next generation of piercers.

In this issue we give thanks and look over some of the highlights of our young industry’s history. Please note this is not a full nor extensive anthropology of our history, but merely a highlight reel if you will. It is an issue to make you feel nostalgic, but more importantly it is an issue to make you contemplate the culture of our industry and where we are going. This is a topic we plan to tackle more in depth in our next issue (the first of 2019.)

If history has shown us one thing it is that compla- cency and apathy will get us nowhere, that a popular- ity contest is one that no one wins long term. During November and December, the Association of Professional Piercers held our 2018 Board of Directors election to fill three upcoming vacancies. We want to thank our participating Members who let their voices be heard and helped us reach quorum. We are also excited to announce that, as of our 2019 Conference in May, these three Board positions will be filled by Becky Dill, Cale Belford, and Monica Sabin. It will be wonderful to see the direction our organization and industry will take with the help of these strong guiding forces.

Point 84: From the Editor – Marina Pecorino

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by Marina Pecorino, Point Editor

Starting from the time my shoes touch the Vegas cement several days before the attendees arrive, the week of Conference is usually a blur for me. This year had the added complexities of new motherhood; extra calls home and using my breaks to pump breast milk made my already busy schedule even more packed.

Much of my work happens after classes end and most attendees head to the bar. Unfortunately, my workload and late hours meant that I missed many of the extracurricular activities this year, including the Opening Pool Party at the Flamingo, most of the Banquet (which featured attendee karaoke and a special visit from Elvis), and all the Alternative To The Bar activities. Thankfully, I still found time to take a guided tour through the Body Piercing Archive Exhibit and make a few quick passes through the Expo.

By the end of the week, as usual I was both exhausted and revitalized. Conference provides a chance to develop professionally and personally, and although classes are no longer my personal focus during the week, I always glean new knowledge from the overall experience. I was able to attend a few classes and they were wonderful, led by a range of speakers with diverse backgrounds and experiences. It seems that every year, our class offerings provide an ever-expanding range of topics, from technical, to analytical, to anthropological. Every year, it seems that the week has an unnatural momentum; starting out steady, but somehow quickening the closer we get to the end, until suddenly the week is over. This year, that progression seemed even more spectacular than usual. The final flurry of activity comes during pack out, which the Volunteer team managed to accomplish in record time this year. That evening culminates with one last “family” dinner, after which we gather for speeches, allowing the Volunteers to speak from the heart about their experience. This is one of my favorite times during Conference, hearing how each individual will go home changed in some way with a renewed sense of themselves and their connection to the industry and our community. We all come together in the same city for the same event, but the week alters each person in their own unique way.

After dinner and speeches this year, I made it back to my room just in time to see the Bellagio fountains erupting. I stood at the window in welcomed silence, watching the colored water and lights dance amid the city of sin and excess. In that post-Conference quiet, I took a few moments to mentally prepare for reintegrating with normal life; it is amazing how different life  can feel during Conference week. It will take many of us time to decompress, organize, and fully understand our experience, so if you had the opportunity to attend, I hope you take the time to reflect and share your thoughts. If you were not able to attend this year, consider joining us for our first year at Planet Hollywood for the 24th Annual Conference and Exposition May 12-17, 2019.

Point 84: From the Editors – Kendra Jane B.

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By Kendra Jane B. , Point Editor

Point Editors, Kendra Jane B. & Marina Pecorino

In our last issue of The Point, I spoke to being mindful in your preparation for Conference. I said I was going into it knowing what I wanted to get out of it. I had hoped to find a renewed connection, a connection with the people of our industry. Instead what I found was a renewed connection with myself.

This year was a wash of emotions, so here’s your warning; emotions ahead.

I sat in my room and contemplated all that was Conference. I had arrived 10 days prior and, man, was I ready to go home. Conference is a special place filled with the most special people, but it also comes with sacrifices of sleep, water, sleep, raw fresh vegetables, oh and did I mention sleep? So this year on my last night I decided to do something a bit different. I took myself out on a date. That’s right a me party, party of one. For most of my life I did not feel like I could be my true self, and as such I never wanted to spend time with myself. Through my journey within this industry and the past eight Conferences, I am so very happy to say I am 100% happy with who I am, what I believe, and where I have drawn my boundaries. This wouldn’t have been possible without the people I have met because of Conference. So at the end of this year’s very hectic week I celebrated myself and all I have accomplished with dim sum, hand pulled noodles, and mochi. I finally know what my truth is and I hope that your journey through the piercing community and Conference allows you to find your truths.

I hope you enjoy this look back through this year’s Conference.